The Department of Energy this week issued an emergency order to keep a Colorado coal plant operational to ensure Americans have access to affordable, reliable, and secure electricity heading into the winter months. The order will keep Unit 1 at the Craig Station in Craig, Colorado, online to ensure grid reliability.

So why is the Trump administration making these moves?

Well, the Wall Street Journal has a cautionary piece on the missteps in the UK that led to an electricity crunch and high electricity prices. While the country raced to lead in the installation of solar and wind, and raced to shut down its coal plants, it failed to make the necessary transmission upgrades to move the energy around. The result? Electricity bills that are among the highest in the world and a grid that is teetering on the edge.

And as the US looks at the missteps and successes of other countries around the world, The New York Times has a piece on China's six decade long campaign to dominate the world's rare earths markets.